Eid: A violent outburst apart, Kashmir celebrates festival peacefully

SRINAGAR: A group of cops had providential escape in Srinagar after they were caught and beaten by an angry mob laving city's sprawling Eidgah after the Special Eid prayers. Their vehicle was set afire forcing police to fire several rounds in air to restore order.

There was no plausible explanation for the sudden spurt of violence. But a general belief is that the boys were angry over the house arrest of all the separatist leaders on the eve of Eid. Those detained included Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who was supposed to lead the prayers at Eidgah, the major gathering of the day in the capital city.

"The government wants to establish peace at the barrel of the gun but that is not possible," Mirwaiz told The ET on phone. He actually addressed the Eid congregation on phone for a few minutes. "If the government wants peace in Kashmir, it needs to resolve the issues by addressing them," the cleric told the gathering on phone from his Nigheen home. "Imposing curbs on people and preventing them from discharging their religious duties is interference in our religious matters." Cleric said the government; by preventing leaders from interacting with the masses, is provoking people.

Sources close to the peacenik cleric said Mirwaiz had informed the police that preventing him from speaking to the congregation can impact situation. "But they (police) disagreed," one of his associates said. "We did not know who did what but there were disturbances and lot many people are injured." He said the police burst tear smoke shells and later fired several rounds in air that triggered panic. For most of the day, there were small clashes between cops and protestors continued intermittently in parts of old city.

The vehicle that was attacked was carrying police personnel from Qamarwari to Soura. The attack came when the Rukshak, a Mahindra & Mahindra heavy-duty bulletproof vehicle with a powerful four cylinder, 61 HP engine with adequate underbelly and side protection from bullets, was caught in a traffic jam caused with the massive movement of the people laving home after prayers. Police said three policemen, including an Assistant Sub Inspector, were injured.

Syed Ali Geelani continues be restricted to his Hyderpora residence for a long time now. Off late, Shabir Shah is also being frequently limited to his Srinagar home. Last evening when the government put under house arrest Mirwaiz and JKLF leader Yasin Malik, it came as a surprise because their moment is rarely being curtailed. But insider in the government said there was no provocation for restricting the separatists. "There were apprehensions that thy may rake up Amarnath issue," a source close to the decision making said on the condition of anonymity. Mirwaiz's assertions over the apex court's orders about the cave shrine on Friday had unnerved the government. Omar' two senior ministers addressed media post haste and denied any state government plan of taking a formal road to the cave as the reportage over the issue suggested.

Barring certain instances of anti-India sloganeering in Sopore, Baramulla and other parts of Srinagar, Eid celebrations remained a peaceful process across the state. While second major gathering was reported from Polo Grounds in Srinagar, another major congregation was reported from Hazratbal shrine. Most of the state's political executive including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father Dr Farooq Abdullah offered there prayers in the shrine mosque. Geelani had actually announced to have his prayers in the shrine but was not permitted. Reports said when he insisted that he should be permitted for prayers, the police took him in custody outside his residence.

But the peaceful Eid celebrations had interesting sub-texts. For the first time the weekly movement of the trans-LoC bus between Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakot coincided with Eid so it was cancelled. Officials said the passengers who were scheduled to crossover today will now avail the travel facility on August 27. This year, this is for the third time that the bus service was suspended. Earlier, the bus did not roll over on January 16 and 23 because of snowfall and avalanches.

Officers of rival armies from India and Pakistan met at the zero line on Chakan da Bagh crossing point and exchanged sweets and greetings. Major Umer Gul of 11 Baloch Regiment led Pakistan side a Major S Manhas representing India at the flag meeting that take place almost on every festival from either side. The interesting part is that the meeting took place despite tensions in neighbouring Krishan Ghati sector (Poonch), Akhnoor and part of R S Pora in Samba sector.

In fact intermittent firing on Indian positions continued in Akhnoor and Poonch sectors and Army says there were 14 violations of the ceasefire agreement in last 15 days. Reports suggested that there was an effort to infiltrate a group of militants in Poonch's Krishan Ghati sector which was immediately detected by the army. At least one intruder was reported dead as all his accomplices fled back. Off late, tensions on Jammu borders and a stretch of LoC revive intermittently. A BSF man was recently killed and three of his colleagues were injured in Pakistani firing on a forward post in Samba's R S Pora sector. After many years the civilian population resumed taking cover in the dungeons that sprouted in border hamlets prior to the 2003 ceasefire.